


In the Cold of the Night

by orphan_account



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: First Date, Fluff, M/M, Parents!Au, Post-Serum Steve Rogers, pre-narrative death, really non-explicit just mentions of it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-17
Updated: 2014-11-17
Packaged: 2018-02-25 17:34:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,347
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2630369
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Bucky and Steve are both parents who's kids dislike each other.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In the Cold of the Night

**Author's Note:**

> Don't let the title mislead you, this is complete dumb fluff I've been meaning to post forever. ✿ Enjoy this garbage ✿

School's only been in session for _two fucking weeks_ , and already Steve's daughter's got detention.

Don't get him wrong, Ellie's a good kid. She's funny, and smart, and (mostly) kind to everyone.

She happened to have Steve's temper, so that's something.

So now, Steve has to leave work an hour early ("I'm not covering for you every time, Rogers!" Sam had called as he walked out, even though they both know that's bullshit) to get to Ellie's school in time to pick her up. Apparently she got in (another) fight with a girl in her class, and now she's got to spend the afternoon cleaning gum from under the desks.

He parks his car in front of the school, figuring Ellie'll be out in a little while, and he's thinking he should probably get out his book while he's waiting and-

**_CRASH_ **

And his head hits the back of the seat because some fucking idiot has just rammed into his car. He thinks he has a bruise on his head, but it's not serious so he gets out of the car to go yell at the other driver (probably some stupid highschooler) when out steps the _hottest guy he's seen in his fucking life_.

"Aw shit, dude I'm so sorry, I lost control of the wheel when I turned in-" but Steve is barely listening because the guy's got tousled brown hair and cherry red lips that are formed into a frown and he's _so fucking hot_ that Steve doesn't mind _that_ much that there's a dent in his gray sedan.

"No, no it's f-fine, n-nothing to worry about." he spits out and _just talk normally Rogers_.

The guy smiles and holds out a hand that Steve shakes. "James Barnes. You can call me Bucky."

"Steve Rogers." and _wait_ , didn't Principal Porter say that the girl Ellie fought was named Barnes? "You don't happen to be picking up your daughter, do you?"

Bucky looks surprised. "You a mind reader, Steve?" he jokes and then says, "But yeah, she got detention, the nutcase. What about you, what brings you to an elementary school at 4:30?"

"My daughter Ellie got in a fight." he says and Bucky gets it.

"Shit."

So they sit there in a semi-awkward silence until a little girl with blonde hair comes ambling out of the building. As soon as she sees Bucky her face lights up and she runs over to him.

“Dad!” she screams and Bucky hugs her, grinning.

“What’s up, Gracie?” he says and runs his fingers through her hair. He looks up at Steve and Ellie walks out, her brown curls bouncing in the breeze.

“Hi Dad.” she says and glares at Grace. “Can we go?”

“No.” Steve says and turns to look at Bucky. “First you’re going to tell Mr. Barnes and Grace that you’re sorry for fighting.”

“You too, Grace.” Bucky nudges her and both girls look down at their shoes.

“‘M sorry.” Ellie mutters, “For pulling your hair and calling you a bad name.” and Grace actually smiles.

“Yeah. I’m sorry for saying that you’re bad at math.”

“It’s okay.” she says and suddenly everything's just peachy. “Hey Dad? Can Grace come play superheroes at our house tomorrow?” and Steve laughs because seven-year-old girls are many things, and changeable is sure one of ‘em.

“It’s fine with me.” Bucky says, giving Steve a small smile.

“Sure.” Steve agrees and takes out his phone, pulling up his contacts. “Here,” he hands the phone to Bucky. “You can put your number in.”

                                                                      ***

So that’s how Steve ends up sitting on his couch with Bucky, drinking coffee and watching the girls play Superman (Steve thinks there are better superheroes but hey, who’s he to judge?).

“So how do you feel about burgers?” Steve asks, and damn it that sounds stupid, but he really really ( _really_ ) likes Bucky and he wants to take him on a proper date that doesn't involve watching Cartoon Network for three hours.

“Lettuce. Tomato. Hold the onions and extra mayo.” Bucky grins (He does that a lot. Steve likes it.) “Why do you wanna know?”

“Well, it just so happens I know a place that has the best burgers in Brooklyn, and I’m free tomorrow night.” Steve’s voice says suave, but his heart is racing and his palms are fucking sweating like crazy.

“Is that so?” Bucky scoots closer (just a fraction of an inch, and yet Steve can’t _breathe_ ) “Because I’m also free tomorrow.”

“I’ll take that as a yes?”

“Take it as a ‘you’re hot and i like burgers’ ” He scoots even closer, “So, yes.”

                                                                          ***

Steve’s lucky that Natasha fucking adores Ellie because otherwise no one would be able to babysit.

He meets Bucky at the front of his apartment building and they walk the five blocks to Thor’s Tables where Steve and Ellie eat at least once a week.

The smell of cooking hamburger meat hits them as soon as they walk in, and Steve hears Thor’s booming voice from behind the counter, “Welcome, Steve. Where might Ellie be?” Thor and Ellie get along almost as well as her and Natasha.

“She’s at home, I’m actually here with my da-friend?” because he knows this is a date but he doesn't want to be too bold. Bucky pretends not to notice and waves a hand at Thor.

“I’m Bucky.”

“Well sit down friends, Darcy will bring out your usual.” Thor smiles and Steve leads them to his favorite booth, right by the window in the corner.

“This is..nice.” Bucky says a while later after a gulp of milkshake.

“Yeah. Thor and Jane got a nice place going here.”

“Wasn’t talking about the food, though it is pretty damn spectacular.” and Steve knows he’s blushing across his whole face, and he really really likes Bucky.

They don’t feel like going home yet, and so they take a walk around the city to work off all the greasiness the burgers left. The conversation isn’t anything important, mostly about their work, (Steve finds out Bucky’s ex-military too, two tours in Afghanistan) their daughters, funny stories.

“So tell me.” Bucky says after Steve finishes telling him the story of when he got his foot caught in a dog kennel (it didn't end well) “How can a striking guy like you be a single dad?”

“Uh. Short answer?” Steve says. “Ellie’s mom died when she was a baby, and I guess I just haven’t found anyone else.” He laughs without a hint of humor in it.

“Oh shit, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked.”

“No, no it’s fine. Peggy is-was amazing. I still miss her.”

“I’m sorry Steve.” and Steve bumps Bucky with his elbow.

“Don’t worry about it. What about you? What’s the deal with Grace?”

“Well technically she’s not even mine. When she was about say, five months old I found her all bundled up in blankets outside my door like something out of a fuckin’ movie. Didn’t know what to do and I didn’t want her growin up in some orphanage like me so I signed the adoption papers and well, the rest is history.”

“Wow. You, Bucky Barnes, are an actual superhero.”

“Ah, shut up.”

“No, I mean it.”

They look at each other and Steve doens’t know how, but he knows.

***

They’re standing in Steve’s doorway when Bucky leans in real close and Steve’s brain is going haywire. “I had a nice time tonight, Stevie.”

“Me too.”

“I’d like to do it again.”

“How’s Friday sound?”

“Sounds great. Do you want to go-” but Steve’s cutting off with his lips, bringing his hands up to cup Bucky’s face, and _god_ , Bucky smells like burgers and rain and cinnamon and Steve _loves_ it, and he doesn’t want to stop, but he pulls away after a few minutes.

“Grace is probably waiting for you.” he smiles and Bucky pecks his lips again.

“I’ll see ya Friday Steve.” and then he’s letting go of his hand and walking away, and Steve can’t help but stand there dazed for a few seconds.

**  
**Friday can’t come soon enough.


End file.
